In response to 2020 cancellation, Kentucky-Louisville agree to extend football rivalry

Louisville Courier Journal

LEXINGTON - The 2020 Governor's Cup rivalry game may have been canceled, but the Kentucky-Louisville football series is not ending any time soon.

An amendment to the contract for the series signed by UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart and Louisville athletic director Vince Tyra in September extends the rivalry for three years through 2030 and pushes back the alternating home games one year to accommodate the 2020 cancellation. The new contract was obtained by the Courier Journal through the state's open records law.

Louisville will now host the game in odd years, starting in 2021, and Kentucky will host in even years, opposite the previous arrangement. Here are the dates for the future rivalry games:

Nov. 27, 2021 -- Louisville
Nov. 26, 2022 -- Lexington
Nov. 25, 2023 -- Louisville
Nov. 30, 2024 -- Lexington
Nov. 29, 2025 -- Louisville
Nov. 28, 2026 -- Lexington
Nov. 27, 2027 -- Louisville
Nov. 25, 2028 -- Lexington
Nov. 24, 2029 -- Louisville
Nov. 30, 2030 -- Lexington

The two schools also agreed to delete a requirement in the previous contract that the home team pay the visiting team $300,000 each year. Now, neither team will be compensated for the series.

More:Louisville athletics' COVID-19 expenses exceed $291,000 through September

Kentucky and Louisville met in football every year from 1993 to 2019, but the SEC canceled all non-conference games for its schools this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ACC allowed its schools to play one non-conference game, but with UK unavailable, that spot went to Western Kentucky on Louisville's 2020 schedule.

"I fully support the SEC's decision to move to conference-only games, though we are disappointed we won't have the chance to compete with Louisville for the Governor's Cup this season," Barnhart said in a statement at the time of the SEC's announcement. "That series means a great deal to the Commonwealth and we look forward to working with Louisville to continue the series in seasons to come."

Even after the 2020 game was canceled, Tyra expressed confidence the two schools could easily workout a new schedule for the series.

The contract extension specifies there were no financial penalties for the 2020 game being canceled "in consideration of the impact of the current worldwide pandemic on the 2020 football season."

The adjustment to the schedule means Kentucky will no long host Louisville and border rival Tennessee at Kroger Field in the same season. The Volunteers will play in Lexington in odd years and the Cardinals will play there in even years.

Email Jon Hale at jahale@courier-journal.com; Follow him on Twitter at @JonHale_CJ.